SAN FRANCISCO–The Packers’ season ended in Candlestick Park on Saturday night, in a 45-31 loss to the 49ers in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

In a game that gave birth to a new star in the NFL, the Packers surrendered a playoff-record 183 yards rushing to second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was making his first postseason start. Kaepernick rushed for two touchdowns and passed for 263 yards and two touchdowns, all of that after having thrown an interception that was returned by Sam Shields for a touchdown on the 49ers’ first possession of the game.

The major problem Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense faced was a ridiculously lopsided time of possesssion disadvantage that left the Packers with little more to do but stand on the sideline and watch Kaepernick emerge as a postseason star.

San Francisco running back Frank Gore rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown, and the season ended for the Packers much as it started in a loss to the 49ers in which the visitors dominated time of possession with a powerful rushing attack. Then, under starting quarterback Alex Smith, it was thunder. Kaepernick has added lightning to that rushing attack and the 49ers will play the winner of Sunday’s Seattle at Atlanta game in next weekend’s NFC title game.

The 49ers blew the game open in the second half, pushing a 24-21 lead to 45-24 with 3:34 to play.

Rodgers finished the game having completed 26 of 39 passes for 257 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.